Trenton NJ, This week Governor Phil Murphy was involved with a series of announcements demonstrating he will be taking sides against residents and citizens and favoring illegals and criminals.
The Governor “Sanctuary Phil” Murphy campaigned on massive tax raises and turning New Jersey into a sanctuary state . This week he moved that agenda forward .
First on January 24th NJ Attorney General Grewal announced alongside Governor Phil Murphy that the NJ Office of the Attorney General will use all the tools it has to protect the rights of Dreamers so they can enjoy the American Dream and to ensure the safety and well-being of all New Jerseyans, regardless of their immigration status.
Then on the 26th ,NJ Attorney General Grewal spoke on his focus of restricting legal gun owners rights and New Jersey’s intention to tighten restrictions on handgun-carry permits to combat gun violence for a safer state, despite the fact that criminals don’t get gun permits.
“Thursday’s arrest by federal agents of two Indonesian nationals as they dropped off their children may have violated a longstanding prohibition on immigration enforcement actions at “sensitive locations,” and calling for the official to personally review the incident.”
. How about the “longstanding tradition” of enforcing the law? Maybe if the states cooperated with the Federal government and had respect for the immigration laws, then the federal government wouldn’t have to “violate” any longstanding behavior norms.
Trenton NJ, New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal has sent a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security suggesting Thursday’s arrest by federal agents of two Indonesian nationals as they dropped off their children may have violated a longstanding prohibition on immigration enforcement actions at “sensitive locations,” and calling for the official to personally review the incident.
The letter, addressed to U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen M. Nielsen and sent Thursday afternoon, expresses “serious concern” about the arrest of Indonesian nationals Gunawan Liem of Franklin Park and Roby Sanger of Metuchen by agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Middlesex County. Liem reportedly was arrested after dropping his daughter off at her school bus stop. Sanger was arrested after dropping off his daughter at school.
In his letter, Attorney General Grewal notes that ICE has a “longstanding policy that prohibits immigration enforcement actions ‘at or focused on sensitive locations,’” and that schools are deemed to be sensitive locations under that policy. Grewal characterized ICE’s action as “deeply upsetting.”
“I am not aware of any exigent or unique circumstances here that would justify such a departure from ICE’s settled policy on sensitive locations,” Grewal’s letter states. “Undoubtedly, this creates a chilling environment for parents, who were simply ensuring that their children arrived to school safely. I trust that you will personally evaluate the circumstances surrounding this enforcement action and take any and all appropriate measures to remedy any violation of ICE policy.”
The letter goes on to express broader concern about ensuring there are no ICE enforcement actions at courthouses and at State facilities throughout New Jersey.
Enforcement actions at state courthouses would compromise the integrity of New Jersey’s justice system, the Attorney General notes, and such actions at State facilities would be an “undue intrusion” on the function of state government services to New Jersey residents, including children, families and military veterans.
“As a former federal prosecutor, county prosecutor, and now the chief law enforcement officer for New Jersey, I fully understand the need to enforce our nation’s laws,” Grewal writes, “but I am equally committed to ensuring that all of the residents of New Jersey have a safe environment to attend to their lives, whether it be to attend school, participate in our judicial system, or access state government services.”
Wayne, NJ, The New Jersey Organization For Economic Growth rejects the proposal by Gov. Phil Murphy to create a program to use taxpayer money to provide legal help to illegal immigrants and says it will mount a citizens petition campaign to oppose the governor’s plan.
The new governor wants to create yet another agency — the Office of Immigrant Protection. It would fall within the Department of Law and Public Safety and it would provide legal representation to illegals.
“It is a slap in the face of law abiding, hard working men and women in New Jersey – many of whom cannot afford legal services for themselves — to be forced to fund a government agency that gives free legal aid to non citizens,” said Joseph Caruso, the NJOEG chairman.
“The governor is pandering to the extreme element in his party that want to not only to make New Jersey a sanctuary state, but to give illegals driver’s licenses and free legal aid so they can fight federal immigration laws. This is beyond absurd,” added Alex Cucciniello the Executive Director of OEG.
According to the Federation for American Immigration reform, 372,000 people live in New Jersey illegally and they cost state taxpayers in excess of $2.1 billion dollars annually for health, schooling and incarceration services.
“Spending taxpayer money to help people who entered our country illegally to further evade the law is the wrong priority for New Jersey,” added Caruso. “The state is beset with many problems: high taxes, unmanageable public sector pension and benefits costs, the overregulation of businesses and the flight of talented Millennials. The administration should be focusing on those core issues.”
Caruso noted that the Murphy administration’s free legal aid proposal for people who entered the country illegally is a slap in the face for the state’s struggling legal residents.
More than 10.4 percent of the state’s residents, over 915,000 people currently live below the poverty line, according to talkpoverty.org and the U.S. Census Bureau. Over 5 percent of our citizens are unemployed and more startling, 11.1 percent of the state’s population suffered from hunger and food insecurity at some point during the year.
“The governor should be focusing on addressing the problems that already exist in New Jersey – he shouldn’t be creating new ones,” added Cucciniello.
“The governor wants to make New Jersey a sanctuary state, give illegal immigrants driver’s licenses and free legal counseling. The consequences of those initiatives will be to make New Jersey a magnet for many more illegal immigrants.
“And who will bear the cost of the governor’s absurd plans? The hardworking legal residents of this state, that’s who,” added Cucciniello.
Chairman Caruso announced that since the Murphy Administration intends to proceed with this insane agenda on tax payer funded programs for illegal aliens, the OEG will immediately begin a petition drive show Gov. Murphy and his administration that they are out of step with the rest of the state.
“We cannot allow the governor to fundamentally change the character and quality of life in our state without a response. We will seek the signatures of 915,000 New Jerseyans — the same number of people that live below the poverty line — to make it clear where the people of this state stand on this issue, I will fight for all of our citizens, especially those less fortunate, those living below the poverty line” said Caruso.
Those who wish to assist NJOEG in volunteering for the petition drive can email the organization at [email protected]. Those who can make a financial contribution to the effort please visit the NJOEG website at www.njoeg.com.
Chatham NJ, The Thomas More Law Center (“TMLC”), a national nonprofit public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, filed a federal lawsuit yesterday evening in the New Jersey District Court against several officials and teachers of the Chatham Middle School and the School District of the Chathams, located in New Jersey.
The lawsuit, claiming several violations of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, was filed on behalf of Libby Hilsenrath and her minor son. Seventh-grade students at Chatham Middle School were forced to endure Islamic propaganda and an explicit call to convert to Islam through a disturbing set of videos in their World Cultures and Geography class.
TMLC’s affiliated New Jersey attorney, Michael Hrycak, filed the lawsuit. TMLC staff attorney, Kate Oliveri, the principle drafter of the federal complaint, observed: “The Board of Education and other Defendants are waging a war against the religious protections afforded by the First Amendment. They attack religious liberty by enticing young school children with a direct call to convert to Islam and providing a step-by-step guide on how to effect that conversion.”
One of the videos, linked in this press release, seeks to convert students to Islam and is filled with the Islamic religious beliefs presented as facts, as well as pure Islamic propaganda. This five-minute video ends with the prayer “May God help us all find the true faith, Islam. Ameen.”
This video includes the following phrases as facts:
“Allah is the one God who created the heavens and the earth, who has no equal and is all powerful.”
“Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is the last & final Messenger of God. God gave him the Noble Quran.”
“Lo, We have sent thee (O Muhammad) with the truth, a bringer of glad tidings and a warner.”
“What is the Noble Quran? Divine Revelation sent to Muhammad (S) last Prophet of Allah. A Perfect guide for Humanity.”
“The Noble Quran: Guidance, Mercy and Blessing for all Mankind.”
“The Noble Quran: Without any doubt and an eloquent guide from Allah.”
“The Beautiful Quran: Guidance for the wise & sensible.”
“Islam: A shining beacon against the darkness of repression, segregation, intolerance and racism . . .”
This propaganda video also contains excerpts from the Quran stating that Islam is “perfected” religion and the only religion for mankind. And it ends with a call to conversion: “May God help us all find the true faith, Islam.”
However, just as shocking is the background music which includes the poem “Qaseedah Burdah” in Arabic, describing Christians and Jews as “infidels” and praising Muhammad in gruesome detail for slaughtering them:
“He [Muhammad] kept on encountering with them (infidels) in every battle until they looked like meat put on butcher’s bench (they were the lesson for those who were willing to encounter with the Muslims)” (parenthetical in original).
“It is as though the religion of Islam was a guest that visited every house of those (infidels and was) extremely desirous for the flesh of enemy. . .” (parenthetical in original).
“(The Muslims made their) white shining swords red (with the blood of infidels) after they were plunged; (and the majority of) enemies were having black hair (i.e., most of them were young).” (parenthetical in original).
See 5-minute video here https://vimeo.com/252231316/45e5c86977
Seventh-grade students were also instructed to view a subtle propaganda cartoon video, 5 Pillars, which included bright, multi-colored words quoting the Islamic conversion creed: “There is no god except Allah and Prophet Muhammad is His messenger.” The video concludes with text containing contact information for the students of Chatham Middle School to set up their own mosque tour.
Clearly, seventh graders were given a sugarcoated, false depiction of Islam. They were not informed of the kidnappings, beheadings, slave-trading, massacres, and persecution of non-Muslims, nor of the repression of women — all done in the name of Islam.
Richard Thompson, TMLC President and Chief Counsel remarked, “What would people say if our public schools taught Christianity as the true faith? After watching this video, I can’t imagine any reasonable person saying this is not Islamic indoctrination. Chatham Middle School made a mockery of the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause.”
Continued Thompson, “When Libby Hilsenrath brought her concerns to the school board’s attention, on February 6, 2017, they were disregarded. And when she appeared on the Tucker Carlson Show on February 20, 2017 to express her concerns to the Nation, the school community pilloried her. Clueless school administrators across our Nation are allowing this type of indoctrination to take place, and it’s up to vigilant and courageous parents like Libby Hilsenrath to stop it.”
Because of Libby Hilsenrath’s attempts to get the Board of Education to remove the videos and end the Islamic indoctrination of her son and the other seventh-grade students, she was subjected to a barrage of personal attacks from her own community: “hateful,” “ignorant,” “intolerant,” “racist,” “closed minded,” and the list goes on. These attacks significantly intensified after she appeared on the Tucker Carlson Show.
Unfortunately the state pension fund operates like a Ponzi scheme – it requires new hire contributions to fund current liabilities. Putting new hires into 401K’s would bankrupt the funds almost immediately.
Ridgewood NJ, according to the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research New Jersey is running out of time projections show that the pension system, already the worst-funded in the nation, will continue taking on debt for at least five more years.
The Rockefeller Institute of Government at the State University of New York defines a government pension system that’s below 40% funded as in crisis. New Jersey’s pension system is well below that line, and the cost to fix the system, even under optimistic economic and financial-market projections, is already enormous. After a nine-year expansion, if America’s economy turns down in the coming months, the price of fixing New Jersey’s pension system will surge higher still. Yet even when the costs were considerably less, the state’s political leaders balked at fixing the system. We’ve now reached the point where neglecting to construct an adequate and lasting fix pushes the pension system on a path toward failure, a catastrophic scenario for New Jersey’s public employees and taxpayers.
Key takeaways from the report :
As this report demonstrates, to stay on pace to reach the new plan’s required yearly contributions into the pension system by 2023, state government must increase the revenue that it dedicates to its pension system by more than threefold. At that point, pension payments could equal 12%–15% of New Jersey’s budget.
Based on the historical growth of New Jersey’s revenues, rising pension payments alone will likely consume virtually all the state’s additional tax collections over the next five years, even under an optimistic scenario where tax collections accelerate. That would leave little money for increasing funding of local schools, higher education, municipal services, or property-tax relief.
If the economy were to experience even a mild recession, the resulting slowdown in tax collections would likely mean that New Jersey would fall short by at least an additional $3.5 billion in meeting its pension obligations, sparking a more substantial rise in new pension debt.
After years of relying on unrealistic investment assumptions, New Jersey recently cut its projected rate of investment returns to a more realistic 7%. Even so, this is higher than forecasts made by independent experts for pension fund performance over the next five to 10 years. If the outside experts are correct, the investment returns on the state’s pension portfolio will fall significantly short, requiring New Jersey to dedicate further tax revenues to its pension system or allow additional new debt to pile up—a dangerous situation because the system’s funding levels are already so low that some pension experts fear that fixing a system this poorly funded is nearly impossible.
Absent some unexpectedly robust acceleration of the economy, it is highly unlikely that New Jersey will generate enough new revenues to meet its pension commitments without severely hobbling the rest of the state’s budget. At the same time, allowing its pension system to continue to accumulate debt by not contributing adequately to it will push New Jersey toward a potentially catastrophic failure of its government pensions.
Newark NJ, Reality television personality Michael “The Situation” Sorrentino and his brother, Marc Sorrentino, pleaded guilty today to violating federal tax laws, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito for the District of New Jersey and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS CI) Special Agent in Charge Jonathan D. Larsen.
According to documents and information provided to the court, Michael Sorrentino, 36, pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion and Marc Sorrentino, 38, pleaded guilty to one count of aiding in the preparation of a fraudulent tax return.
“Today’s pleas are a reminder to all individuals to comply with the tax laws, file honest and accurate returns and pay their fair share,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman. “The Tax Division is committed to continuing to work with the IRS to prosecute those who seek to cheat the system, while honest hardworking taxpayers play by the rules.”
“What the defendants admitted to today, quite simply, is tantamount to stealing money from their fellow taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney Carpenito. “All of us are required by law to pay our fair share of taxes. Celebrity status does not provide a free pass from this obligation.”
“As we approach this year’s filing season, today’s guilty pleas should serve as a stark reminder to those who would attempt to defraud our nation’s tax system,” stated Jonathan D. Larsen, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office. “No matter what your stature is in our society, everyone is expected to play by the rules, and those who do not will be held accountable and brought to justice.”
Michael Sorrentino was a reality television personality who gained fame on “The Jersey Shore,” which first appeared on the MTV network. According to documents and information provided to the court, he and his brother, Marc, created businesses, such as MPS Entertainment LLC and Situation Nation Inc., to take advantage of Michael’s celebrity status.
Michael Sorrentino admitted that in tax year 2011, he earned taxable income, including some that was paid in cash, and that he concealed a portion of his income to evade paying the full amount of taxes he owed. He also made cash deposits into bank accounts in amounts less than $10,000, in an effort to ensure that these deposits would not come to the attention of the IRS.
Marc Sorrentino admitted that for tax year 2010, he earned taxable income and that he assisted his accountants in preparing his personal tax return by willfully providing them with false information and fraudulently underreporting his income.
U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton scheduled sentencing for April 25. Michael Sorrentino faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison for tax evasion. Marc Sorrentino faces a statutory maximum sentence of three years in prison for aiding in the preparation of a fraudulent tax return. Both also face a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. Gregg Mark, the accountant for the Sorrentino brothers, previously pleaded guilty in 2015 to conspiring to defraud the United States with respect to their tax liabilities.
Trenton NJ, Democrat Phil Murphy ,New Jersey’s new governor says he’ll be accepting the job’s $175,000-a-year salary. Murphy a multimillionaire and former Wall Street executive who earned his fortune working at Goldman Sachs , will not match what even the failed Democrat Jon Corzine did . Corzine also a wealthy alumni of Goldman Sachs took only a $1-per-year salary.
When asked the new Governor declined Wednesday to take further questions about his salary from the media . His 2016 taxes showed he earned a mere $4.6 million, mostly from interest and dividends.
Trenton NJ, Gurbir S. Grewal became the 61st Attorney General of the State of New Jersey following the inauguration of Governor Phil Murphy today, January 16, 2018. He was confirmed unanimously by the New Jersey Senate this afternoon.
“I am honored and humbled to assume the role of Attorney General at this critical time for our state and country. I am grateful to Governor Murphy and the Senate for the trust they have placed in me and I look forward to continuing my service to the state of New Jersey. There’s much to do, and I can’t wait to get started,” said Attorney General Grewal.
Prior to his selection as New Jersey Attorney General, Grewal served as Bergen County Prosecutor, the chief law enforcement officer of the most populous county in New Jersey and home to nearly 1 million residents living in 70 municipalities.
Grewal worked as an Assistant United States Attorney (“AUSA”) in the Criminal Division of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey from 2010 to 2016. While at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, he served as Chief of the Economic Crimes Unit from 2014 to 2016 and oversaw the investigation and prosecution of all major white collar and cybercrimes in the District of New Jersey.
Before becoming a federal prosecutor in New Jersey, Grewal also served as an AUSA in the Criminal Division of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York from 2004 to 2007, where he was ultimately assigned to the Business and Securities Fraud Unit. As an AUSA in the Eastern District of New York, he investigated and prosecuted a wide range of narcotics offenses, white collar crimes, and terrorism cases. His significant matters included the successful prosecution of 12 men charged with providing material support to the Tamil Tigers terrorist organization.
In addition to his work as a federal prosecutor, Grewal has also worked in private practice, including at Howrey LLP (from 1999 to 2004 in Washington, D.C., and from 2008 to 2010 in New York, N.Y.). While at Howrey LLP, he counseled clients on a range of matters including securities, trademark, antitrust and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act issues; represented individuals and companies in government investigations and criminal proceedings; conducted internal investigations for public corporations; and conducted civil trials.
Attorney General Grewal graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in 1995. He obtained his law degree from the College of William & Mary, Marshall-Wythe School of Law in 1999.
Trenton NJ, while Governor Phil Murphy pushes forward to turn New Jersey into a sanctuary state , Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen confirmed Tuesday that the department has asked federal prosecutors to see if they can lodge criminal charges against sanctuary cities that refuse to cooperate with federal deportation efforts.
“The Department of Justice (DOJ) is reviewing what avenues may be available,” Ms. Nielsen told the Senate Judiciary Committee.
This came on the heels of California’s new sanctuary law went into effect Jan. 1, severely restricting cooperation the state or any of its localities could offer.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Tom Homan says those policies put his officers and local communities at more risk because they have to arrest illegal immigrants out in the community.
Director Homan told The Washington Times last July that he wanted to see local officials charged as complicit in human smuggling if they shielded illegal immigrants through sanctuary policies.
Trenton NJ, Illinois, New Jersey, and New York were the top states in the nation for outbound moves in 2017, according to data from United Van Lines. We have in the past reported similar statistics from other moving companies .
United Van Lines, which tracks state-to-state migration patterns, found that Illinois was the top state for outbound migration with 63 percent of moves going out of state.
“The Northeast continues to experience a moving deficit with New Jersey (63 percent outbound), New York (61 percent) and Connecticut (57 percent) making the list of top outbound states for the third consecutive year,” the report states. “Massachusetts (56 percent) also joined the top outbound list this year.”
While taxes are often cited as the reason for the move , New Jersey just elected Phil Murphy who promised to raise taxes when elected . The Murphy agenda will only exacerbate this outward migration putting further pressure on the states limited resources .
Ridgewood NJ, watch out New Jersey you could be next , for decades in California, a sacrosanct rule has governed public employees’ pensions: benefits promised can never be taken away.
But now the California Supreme Court has threaten to reverse that premise and open the door to benefit cuts for workers still on the job.
California Governor Jerry Brown said legal rulings may clear the way for making cuts to public pension benefits, which would go against long-standing assumptions and potentially provide financial relief to the state and its local governments.
ballooning expenses are an issue that Gov. Jerry Brown will face in his final year in office despite his earlier efforts to reform the state’s pension systems and pay down massive unfunded liabilities.
At issue is the “California Rule,” which dates to court rulings beginning in 1947. It says workers enter a contract with their employer on their first day of work, entitling them to retirement benefits that can never be diminished unless replaced with similar benefits.
It gives workers security that their retirement will be safe and predictable after a career in public service. But it also ties lawmakers’ hands in responding to exploding pension costs.
It’s widely accepted that retirement benefits linked to work already performed cannot be touched. But the California Rule is controversial because it prohibits even prospective changes for work the employee has not yet done.
Linwood NJ, After a cooperative investigation between the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office and multiple law enforcement agencies, eight individuals have been charged in connection to the murder of April Kauffman, as well as, conspiracy and racketeering, Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner announced.
James Kauffman and Ferdinand Augello are charged with Murder in connection with the death of Radio Show Host April Kauffman, in addition to Racketeering, related to the illegal distribution of narcotics through Kauffman’s former medical practice. Additionally, Ferdinand Augello is charged with Conspiracy to Commit the Murder of James Kauffman.
On Thursday, May 10, 2012, at approximately 11:29 a.m., officers from Linwood Police Department responded to a 911call at a private residence located at 2 Woodstock Drive, Linwood. There was a report of an unconscious, non-responsive female at this location. Upon arrival, responding police and emergency medical services personnel were met by the resident of the home, James M. Kauffman, who reported finding his wife, April Kauffman, 47, deceased inside the second floor bedroom of their residence. Inside the second floor master bedroom of the residence, police and emergency medical service personnel discovered April Kaufman unconscious and lying face down on the floor. At 11:45 a.m., April Kauffman was pronounced dead. Atlantic County Medical Examiner Dr. Hydow Park, was notified and responded to the scene, at which time it was ascertained April Kauffman had sustained multiple gunshot wounds.
Through an ACPO investigation, it was determined that a long term alliance between members of the Pagan Outlaw Motorcycle Gang and former doctor, James Kauffman, was created for the mutual financial gain through the use of Kauffman’s medical practice for illegal drug distribution which culminated on May 10, 2012 with the ‘murder for hire’ of April Kauffman. Prior to 2011, James Kauffman and Ferdinand Augello had a relationship which centered on James Kauffman’s medical practice. In the summer of 2011, James Kauffman solicited Ferdinand Augello to murder Kauffman’s wife, April Kauffman. This appears to be for numerous reasons largely centered on April Kauffman’s threats of divorce. James Kauffman stated he would sooner kill April than grant the divorce and lose “half his empire.”
As a result of his objection to a favorable divorce settlement, April Kauffman threatened a number of actions to obtain divorce. In addition to her attempt to spend as much money as she could until a divorce was granted, April also threatened to expose the fraudulent and unlawful practices taking place at her husband’s medical office. Ultimately, James Kauffman made the decision to kill April Kauffman and, based on information and belief, Kauffman told Augello that April threatened to expose the illegal OXY distribution network they had established.
The illegal drug distribution network was set up in a typical pattern of hierarchy. James Kauffman and Ferdinand Augello were at the top. James Kauffman would give free scripts to those individuals sent by Ferdinand Augello. Ferdinand Augello had at least two individuals recruiting for him to obtain the scripts. In turn, those individuals then recruited additional people to receive the OXY scripts. Ferdinand Augello would receive either a cash payment of $1,000 per script or a predetermined number of pills once the script was filled. If an individual did not have insurance, they were required to pay $100 per visit. Those that would receive the scripts would either resell them or use them.
Ferdinand Augello propositioned a number of individuals to murder April Kauffman. These individuals were all Pagans, former Pagans or associated with the Pagans. He was unsuccessful for almost a year and James Kauffman was getting restless when Ferdinand Augello found Francis Mullholland. Mullholland was the cousin of a Pagan associate Joseph Mulholland and member of the drug enterprise. It is believed that Francis Mullholland received a ride to the Kauffman residence in the early morning hours of May 10, 2012. The doors were left open and Francis Mullholland was given a gun. He went inside, shot April Kauffman twice, killing her, and then left. It is believed there was payment made to both Francis Mullholland and his cousin Joseph Mulholland. It is unknown if this payment was in the form of cash, drugs or both. Francis Mullholland has stated that he received approximately $20,000 in cash for his role, though this number has been speculated at being higher. The money was picked up on the day of the murder by Ferdinand Augello’s ex-wife, Beverly Augello along with additional scripts. The scripts were used to obtain drugs that day and the money was given to FA.
Following the murder, the drug enterprise continued for five additional years. Those receiving pills did change during that time; however, every person to be involved in the drug enterprise was a Pagan, former Pagan or an associate of a Pagan. The enterprise folded in June of 2017 with the arrest of James Kauffman.
On Tuesday, June 13, 2017, the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, with the assistance of agents from the FBI and local police agencies, executed a search warrant on both the business and the residential addresses of Kauffman. Upon executing the search warrant on June 13, Kauffman displayed a Ruger 9mm handgun. Ultimately a hostage negotiator was successful in getting Kauffman to surrender to authorities. He was taken into custody at the Psychiatric Intervention Program for monitoring. Kauffman was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and obstruction of the administration of law.
On July 31, 2017, the state Appellate Division upheld Kauffman’s pretrial detention, following an appeal filed on June 22, 2017, after Kauffman was detained on June 19, by Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Bernard DeLury.
In September 2017, Kauffman was indicted on the following charges:
Second degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon-Handguns without Permit
Second degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon-Handguns without Permit
Second degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose
Fourth degree Obstructing the Administration of Law or Government Function
Kauffman remains in custody at the Atlantic County Justice Facility, where he has been detained since June 13, 2017. Chief Assistant Prosecutor Seth Levy is prosecuting the case.
FBI Newark Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher advised that “The FBI will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners in an effort to bring to justice those responsible for this horrific crime and equally important, to provide answers and closure to the family and friends of April Kauffman.”
Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office Sgt. James Scoppa Jr. and FBI Special Agent Daniel A. Garrabrant are the lead investigators on the case.
The investigation and arrests were the result of a joint operation between the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, the FBI, Linwood, Egg Harbor Township, Somers Point and Lower Township police departments and the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office.
Lake Hopatcong, N.J, In compliance with the Attorney General’s Directive on Police-Use-of-Force Investigations, this public statement is being issued on the findings of an investigation into a state trooper’s use of deadly force during an arrest in Lake Hopatcong, N.J., in May 2017. The arrestee was shot and wounded when he charged at the trooper during a domestic violence investigation.
Under the Attorney General’s Directive, the use of deadly force by the state trooper was investigated by the Attorney General’s Shooting Response Team, made up of investigators from the Division of Criminal Justice and the New Jersey State Police Homicide Unit. As a result of the investigation, Director Elie Honig of the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice determined that presentation of the police-involved shooting to a grand jury was not required under the directive, because the facts showed that the use of force was justified under the law. The investigation included witness interviews, forensic analysis of the scene, and other evidence.
With regard to the specific factual circumstances of the incident, the investigation revealed that the incident began when troopers from the Netcong State Police Barracks received a report of a woman walking along the eastbound shoulder of Interstate 80. When a trooper responded to assist the woman and bring her to the State Police barracks, she reported that she had been assaulted by her boyfriend while they were driving on I-80, and he had made her get out of the car. She had visible injuries on her face and body, including a cut lip, a cut on her forehead, and bruises on her arm and shoulder. Her boyfriend was identified as Matthew Gerndt, 36, of Lake Hopatcong. He was reported to be highly intoxicated.
Five troopers responded to Gerndt’s apartment on Brady Road in Lake Hopatcong at about 11:30 p.m. to arrest him on an assault charge. Upon arrival, troopers saw Gerndt outside the rear of the residence on a patio, which was accessed by a sliding glass door from his basement apartment. Trooper 1 identified himself to Gerndt as State Police, but Gerndt retreated into the house and closed the patio door. Troopers approached the patio door and again identified themselves as State Police, but Gerndt did not respond. Trooper 1 reported that Gerndt moved a curtain and looked out at the troopers but did not open the door.
The troopers went to the front door, where they were admitted to the house by the landlord via a landing between the two levels of the split-level home. They were directed down a set of stairs to Gerndt’s apartment, which included a narrow hallway and six closed doors. The hallway was dark except for dim light from the landing and flashlights held by Trooper 1 and a second trooper who also descended the stairs to Gerndt’s apartment and entered the narrow hallway. The two troopers began knocking on all of the doors and commanding Gerndt to come out, with no response. With Trooper 1 in the lead and the second trooper following him, Trooper 1 pointed to a door leading to a recreation room, which was the room leading to the patio, and began to pry the door open.
At that point, Trooper 1 felt a rush of air on the back of his neck as the door behind him was yanked open by Gerndt. Trooper 1 heard the second trooper yell “Watch your back!” Trooper 1 turned and raised his left arm to defend himself as Gerndt allegedly rushed him, driving him back against a wall of the narrow hallway. Trooper 1 had already drawn his service pistol and was holding it at his right hip when he was charged. He fired twice while Gerndt was assaulting him. One round struck Gerndt in the side of his left buttock and exited toward the rear of his left buttock.
Gerndt retreated into the bedroom from which he had charged the trooper. The two troopers entered the bedroom and secured Gerndt, who continued to resist ineffectually until he was handcuffed. The troopers treated Gerndt and called for emergency medical personnel. After EMS arrived, Gerndt walked to the ambulance and was transported to Morristown Medical Center, where he was treated and released the same day. Gerndt was charged with assault and resisting arrest. None of the troopers were injured. Testing of Gerndt’s blood determined that he had a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of .29 percent.
This matter was reviewed by Director Honig and all portions of the Attorney General’s Directive on Police-Use-of-Force Investigations were complied with. After analyzing all of the facts and circumstances, Director Honig concluded that the trooper’s use of force was justified under the law. The facts and circumstances reasonably led the officer to believe his actions were immediately necessary to protect himself and his fellow officers from death or serious injury. An officer may use deadly force in New Jersey when the officer reasonably believes it is immediately necessary to protect the officer or another person from imminent danger of death or serious bodily harm.
In New Jersey, all investigations into police deadly force incidents are governed by an Attorney General directive – issued in 2006 and strengthened in 2015 – which establishes strict procedures for conducting these investigations. When a state- or county-level officer uses deadly force, the case is investigated by the Attorney General’s Shooting Response Team, made up of deputy attorneys general and detectives of the Division of Criminal Justice, as well as detectives of the State Police Homicide Unit, all of whom operate independently of their usual chain of command and report directly to the Director of the Division of Criminal Justice or a designee.
![mike-sorrentino-gty-mem-180117_12x5_992[1]](https://theridgewoodblog.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/mike-sorrentino-gty-mem-180117_12x5_9921.jpg "The Jersey Shore's Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino and His Brother, Marc Sorrentino, Plead Guilty to Tax Evasion")
